


Soul Searching

by grayclouds



Series: Alternate Universe Collection [4]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Ambiguous/Open Ending, M/M, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-05
Updated: 2015-08-05
Packaged: 2018-04-13 04:44:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4508280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grayclouds/pseuds/grayclouds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Law meets Luffy at his wedding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soul Searching

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't posted another one-shot in a while and I found this little thing I wrote on tumblr a few months ago, so there.

They said she was meant for him.

The wedding that they’d arranged on the beach attracted more people than they’d initially accounted for–he was unnerved by the large gathering, and she was radiant in her white dress as she proudly showed it off to the guests. 

Law watched her intently throughout; the way her hair shone in the sunset colours, the curve of cherry red lips as she smiled, the twinkle in her eye like the glimmers on the ocean’s surface when she laughed. 

He felt nothing.

His friends congratulated him, his mother dabbed off the tears threatening to escape her with her handkerchief and his father put a hand on his shoulder, proud. His sister laughed at the look on his face as she dragged him away to mingle with the crowd, right before it was time to walk down the aisle.

“You’re such a lucky guy, you know that?” Nami said, bumping him against the shoulder with a grin, red wine sloshing in her cup. 

“She’s quite something,” Law acknowledged, eyes wandering over the buffet and taking into account that they were running out of soda. 

“Come on, Law, smile! It’s your wedding day!” Shachi chimed in from his left as he refilled his cup, smirking widely. “It won’t kill ya.” 

The corners of his mouth bent slightly. 

“Now that’s a sad sight if I’ve ever seen one.” 

There was a person at the end of the buffet, he noticed, stealing bits of food from under a closed tray. Nami followed his look and sighed wearily, before taking him by the hand and leading him towards the young man.

“Sorry about this,” she muttered on the way there. “He’s a friend of mine, really loves parties. He promised me he’d behave– _Luffy_!” 

The young man froze, caught in the act, before he frantically swallowed down the food already stuffed in his mouth and turned to them. His lips were smeared with gravy, hands covered in sauce and sticky, his casual shorts and vest completely out of place in such a formal gathering–and he was instantly the most intriguing person in the room.

“Hi, Nami,” the young man said nervously, wild black hair thrown about in the wind, untamed. “I was just… uh…” 

“Save it!” Nami interrupted irritably. “I just figured you ought to know whose buffet you’re stealing from before you leave.” 

The young man turned to him with a curious look, and Law’s mouth went dry. Big, dark brown eyes, open and earnest, more innocent than any coy smiles  _she_ gave him. 

“Hello,” he said, then paused uncertainly, gaze searching. “I’m Luffy. You’re Law, right? The guy that’s getting married?” 

His heartbeat stuttered oddly at hearing his name roll off this stranger’s tongue. 

“Yes, that would be me,” Law replied stiffly, feeling like he was missing something, something about this man and the happy grin that flourished on his face that blinded him from everything else–for a moment, he forgot that he was here to commit to a woman that left him feeling cold, and he was merely a stranger meeting another for the first time.

“Congrats,” Luffy (Luffy Luffy  _Luffy_ , that name, he really liked that name) said, cheerful, like he were genuinely happy for Law. “I’m sorry I can’t stick around for too long, I’ve got a flight to catch later.” 

“I see,” But we just met,  _but we just met_ – “I hope you have a good trip, then. Where are you headed?” Take me with you.

“Somewhere in Europe, I don’t know yet,” Luffy smiled– _take me with you_ –and shrugged. “Might stay there for a few years. It’s going to be an adventure!” 

He was aching, and he didn’t know why.

“Law,” he heard his mother call, but he couldn’t take his eyes off this man who was staring right back, the bright look on his face briefly faltering–maybe they were thinking the same thing. A selfish part of him hoped they did. “It’s time!” 

“Good luck, champ,” Nami’s voice came from behind him and he felt a tugging on his shoulder, starting to pull him away. His legs felt weak. 

This is a mistake.

Luffy watched him, and gave him a small, sad wave. “Nice meeting you.” 

No no no no  _no_.

Law numbly turned to face the aisle as someone guided him towards it. Faces everywhere, smiles and cheers. This was meant to have been a happy day. The most important day of his life.

Turn around.

Music started playing. Everyone looked like they were enjoying the evening thoroughly. They seemed to know why he was doing this. He wished he knew as well. 

This is a mistake. 

He started walking, over the long rug laid out for him, towards the pastor that was waiting for him at the end, with a warm smile. His stomach lurched and he felt like a prisoner marching to the gallows. 

 _Turn around_.

An insane idea occurred to him, so insane that for a moment of complete madness, he considered stopping, stopping and looking back toward the buffet where that young man was watching him–to grab him by the arm and run away together, with this captivating stranger.

And for a moment, he did stop, and glanced back over his shoulder, long enough for the crowd to hold its breath, to wonder if he was having second thoughts.

But there was no one waiting at the buffet.

Law felt hollow.

When his bride walked down the aisle a moment later, smiling brilliantly at him, looking every bit the picture of a flawless trophy wife, the dream of every man, all he saw was a motorcycle riding off in the distance, its rider wearing a red vest that made his chest ache. 

“…or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her, for as long as you both shall live?”

The rider faded away into traffic.

Law finally looked at his bride, and answered.


End file.
